Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars: The Future of Transportation?

Hydrogen fuel cell cars are vehicles that use hydrogen as a source of energy to power an electric motor. Unlike conventional cars that burn gasoline or diesel, hydrogen cars produce no harmful emissions and only emit water vapor as a by-product. Hydrogen is also a renewable and abundant resource that can be produced from water using electricity. Sounds like a perfect solution, right? Well, not so fast. Hydrogen fuel cell cars also have some drawbacks that make them less appealing than they seem. In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of hydrogen fuel cell cars and see if they are worth investing in.

Pros of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars

• Environmental benefits: Hydrogen fuel cell cars are considered to be the greenest form of transportation, as they do not contribute to air pollution or greenhouse gas emissions. According to Car and Driver¹, hydrogen fuel cells are the greenest power source among alternative energies that is currently known to humanity. By using hydrogen instead of fossil fuels, we can reduce our dependence on oil and gas and mitigate the effects of climate change.
• Efficiency and performance: Hydrogen fuel cell cars are also more efficient and powerful than conventional cars. Hydrogen fuel cells can convert up to 60% of the chemical energy in hydrogen into electricity, compared to only 20% for gasoline engines². This means that hydrogen cars can travel farther on less fuel and have better acceleration and torque. Hydrogen cars also have a longer range than battery-electric cars, as they can store more energy in their tanks than batteries can in their cells.
• Refueling convenience: Another advantage of hydrogen fuel cell cars is that they can be refueled quickly and easily, similar to conventional cars. It only takes a few minutes to fill up a hydrogen tank at a refueling station, whereas it can take up to 30 minutes or more to charge an electric car at a charging station². This makes hydrogen cars more convenient for long-distance trips or for drivers who do not have access to charging outlets at home or work.
• Noise reduction: Hydrogen fuel cell cars are also quieter than conventional cars, as they do not have noisy engines or exhaust systems. Instead, they have electric motors that produce minimal sound. This can improve the quality of life for drivers and pedestrians, as noise pollution can cause stress, anxiety, and hearing loss.

Cons of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars

• Cost and availability: One of the biggest challenges facing hydrogen fuel cell cars is their high cost and limited availability. Hydrogen cars are much more expensive than conventional or electric cars, as they require complex and sophisticated technology and materials. According to Ablison³, the average price of a hydrogen car is around $58,000, which is almost twice as much as the average price of a new car in the U.S. Moreover, hydrogen cars are not widely available in the market, as only three models are currently offered for sale in the U.S.: the Toyota Mirai, the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, and the Hyundai Nexo¹. These models are also only sold or leased in California, the only state that has a network of retail hydrogen refueling stations.
• Infrastructure and safety: Another issue with hydrogen fuel cell cars is the lack of infrastructure and safety measures to support them. There are only about 45 public hydrogen refueling stations in the U.S., mostly concentrated in California². This makes it difficult for drivers to find places to refuel their cars outside of the state or in rural areas. Furthermore, hydrogen is a highly flammable and explosive gas that requires special handling and storage. Hydrogen tanks must be able to withstand high pressure and temperature, and refueling stations must have adequate ventilation and fire protection systems. There is also a risk of hydrogen leakage or sabotage that could cause accidents or injuries.
• Production and distribution: A final drawback of hydrogen fuel cell cars is the challenge of producing and distributing hydrogen in a sustainable and efficient way. Although hydrogen is abundant in nature, it is usually bound to other elements such as oxygen in water or carbon in fossil fuels. To extract pure hydrogen from these sources, a lot of energy is needed, which often comes from fossil fuels themselves. This defeats the purpose of using hydrogen as a clean energy source, as it still generates emissions and wastes resources. Moreover, transporting and storing hydrogen is costly and complicated, as it requires special pipelines, trucks, or ships that can handle high pressure and low temperature.

Conclusion

Hydrogen fuel cell cars are an innovative and promising technology that could revolutionize the transportation sector. They offer many benefits such as environmental protection, efficiency, performance, refueling convenience, and noise reduction. However, they also face many challenges such as cost, availability, infrastructure, safety, production, and distribution. Therefore, before we can embrace hydrogen fuel cell cars as the future of transportation, we need to overcome these obstacles and make them more accessible, affordable, and reliable. Until then, we might have to stick with conventional or electric cars for our daily commute.